Through Hell And Back, I'm With You
by Daelena
Summary: Emma realizes that she needs Archie so much more, especially after she is forced to arrest Mary Margaret for Kathryn's disappearance. Archie/Emma.


Through Hell And Back, I'm With You

_Disclaimer__: I do not own a thing._

_Summary__: Emma realizes that she needs Archie so much more, especially after she is forced to arrest Mary Margaret for Kathryn's disappearance. Archie/Emma._

_So, it's been a while since I've written anything for "Once Upon A Time" and about Archie and Emma, but this has been swimming around my head since I watched "Red-Handed." _

_I have to say, I can't believe the wonderful feedback that I've gotten so far. Clearly, I'm not the only one who is totally in love with the idea of Archie and Emma together. I mean, how perfect are they! *sigh* _

_Anyway, enough of me wishing for that, let's get on with this story!  
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Normally, bringing someone in for a crime that they had committed gave Emma a sense of validation. It meant that she had stopped someone who was a bad person and had brought them to justice. This had been her job and she took great pride in being able to bring people in for trying to skip on their bail.

But that didn't mean that she liked having to arrest Mary Margaret.

The pixie-cut brunette had been one of her first real friends here in Storybrooke and, for a significant period of time, her roommate. She had been one of the few people that Emma had been able to connect with, had been able to share her ideas and her feelings with, a person who didn't judge Emma or begrudge her for challenging Regina on a regular basis. Not only that, she was Henry's teacher and, for a while, Emma's only connection to Henry.

Now?

It broke Emma's heart to read Mary Margaret her Miranda rights, but it was necessary. The look of shock on Mary Margarent's face (and David's face) as she cuffed the schoolteacher had been of utter disbelief. Emma was inclined to believe that her friend wasn't behind the disappearance (and supposed) murder of Kathryn Nolan, but all of the evidenced pointed in the direction that she was, in fact, behind it.

To say that it shook Emma to her core was an understatement.

Which is why she was infinitely glad that Ruby, tough and rebellious as she appeared, had reached out and offered to lend more help around the Sheriff's Office, as Emma needed her, despite her rather horrific run-in with finding the box by the Bridge. The young woman, after making a much-needed peace with her grandmother, was more than willing to split her time between Granny's Diner and the Sheriff's Office. Emma was surprisingly short-staffed as was, even with the help that Henry was providing (help that Regina had begrudgingly allowed the young boy to provide, since the mayor had finally realized that Emma was trying to handle a job that needed more attention than one person could give it, especially with the disappearance of Kathryn still hanging in the air).

Mary Margaret had not spoken since Emma had brought her in. Emma could plainly see the anger and betrayal in her face and she felt bad.

"Hey," Ruby quietly said, putting her hand on Emma's shoulder. The girl gently led Emma away from the cell and out of ear-shot of Mary Margaret. "You need to go home, Emma."

"I shouldn't," she said, reluctant as always. "Not with Mary Margaret here."

Ruby shook her head. "You need to get some sleep. Nothing will come in tonight. Mary Margaret won't talk for the rest of the day and you know that we won't get any results on the heart for a while yet. There's nothing left for you to do today."

Her eyes flicked back to the dark-haired teacher. "I can't just let her stay here alone."

"She won't be."

"What?" Emma looked at Ruby and raised an eyebrow.

Ruby grinned. "I'll spend the night here tonight." Emma gave her a questioning look. "I talked to Granny and explained that, for the time being, you're going to need someone who can do work around here, at least until the whole Kathryn situation is resolved. She understood and that's why I'm more than willing to help out and crash here, so that you can go home."

"Ruby, you don't have to do that."

Emma recognized it for the more-than-generous offer that it was.

"That's what friends are for," she replied. A mischievous, knowing smile crossed her lips. "Besides, you should go home and spend some time with Archie. God only knows that you need to relax."

A warm flush crossed her cheeks.

"I feel like I haven't seen him in weeks," Emma admitted, after a few seconds.

And it was true.

The Kathryn situation (on the tail of the whole David/Mary Margaret secret affair) had been extremely stressful. Archie, the gentle and loving man that he was, had been as supportive as he possibly could, but Emma was so wound up with work that it felt like every single time that she went home, all she did was eat food, take a shower, and collapse into bed, followed by Archie not too long after.

"Then what are you still doing here?" Ruby asked, breaking Emma out of her thoughts. Emma smiled. "Get going, girl. You've got a guy waiting for you!"

Emma did not have to be told twice.

She was out the door in almost no time flat, sliding into her beloved, if extremely battered yellow Bug. She didn't feel bad about leaving the Cruiser at the Station. Ruby could drive it, if she needed (not that she would, this _was _Storybrooke, after all).

It didn't take too long to navigate the streets back home.

As she parked, Emma looked up at the very humble abode that she shared with Dr. Archie Hopper. A smile crossed her lips. The house was small and unassuming, but, with the way that the lights shown through the windows, it was extremely homely. It was a place where she could retreat from her stresses and could really relax. She could drop her guard down around there – and Archie was the one person in the entire town who had seen her at her most vulnerable and still loved her for it.

Pulling herself out of her car after turning off the ignition, Emma felt a rush of sheer happiness at being home rush through her.

Pongo's excited barks met her ears as she approached the house. The dog had heard her car and was dutifully alerting Archie to her arrival.

_Good dog_, she mused.

Archie was at the door, even as she pushed it open. The look of concern on his face brought all of the emotions of the day to the forefront of Emma's mind and she was suddenly so grateful to Ruby for (in essence) forcing her to leave the Office. Archie wrapped her into a tight hug, letting her bury her face into his shoulder. He whispered soothing words into her ear.

Finally, after he pulled her into the house, Emma was able to shrug off her coat, hanging it up on the coat rack by the door, by Archie's lucky umbrella.

It took a few minutes to get settled, wrapped up in a blanket and cuddled comfortably next to Archie on the couch, a plate of sandwiches between them. Pongo was curled up on his doggie bed, off in the corner, though Emma could see the look in his eyes that practically begged for feeding. That dog was certainly the begger, she mused, and a charmer, much like his owner. Emma let out a sigh of relief at the sense of normalcy this gave her.

They were able to eat in relative silence. Emma just relished the fact that she was close to her boyfriend and that she was able to enjoy his company. This really was what she needed.

"How are you? Really?" Archie asked, when they were finished and he set the empty plate and dirty napkins on the coffee table. His eyes went immediately to her face, as if searching for clues to her emotions.

"I don't know," she replied, honestly. "I mean, there's a part of me that can't deny how where everything points, even though I don't want to believe it."

Technically, she knew that she couldn't divulge any of the case to Archie. He was a civilian and this was a case involving the police, but she needed to talk to someone. And, given that this was Storybrooke, news of Mary Margaret's arrest for the disappearance and potential murder of Kathryn would be big news.

"You did what you had to do, Emma," he counseled her, rubbing her arms in a very soothing way. "It's your job."

"Yeah, but how do I put aside my personal feelings and do what has to be done?" Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes and Emma knew that she was very close to breaking down.

Archie pulled her back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her. His lips went to her neck, pressing a light kiss there. "It's not going to be easy and I don't have all the answers," he told her, "but I'm going to support you, no matter what. I know that you don't want to have to do it, but this is probably going to be a murder investigation, which means that you can't let your own feelings judge the matter."

"I can't help but feel like I'm going to be doing everything I can to prove that Mary Margaret _wasn't_ behind this," Emma told him, aware that she was revealing more than she should. _Eh_, she thought, _screw what Regina thinks. Archie _is _the resident psychologist and he would probably have a hand in the case, no matter what_. "I feel so attached to her."

"As well you should," Archie answered. "She was one of your first friends here."

Emma looked up at him. "Just like you were."

He shook his head, laughing some. "Yes, but I'm the one who's your boyfriend. She's Henry's schoolteacher and your former roommate and landlady."

"And mother, if Henry's right."

They shared a smile, each remembering Henry's strongly-held belief that every citizen of Storybrooke was a fairy tale character.

Archie reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Emma smiled at him.

"You'll get through this, Emma," he promised. "I'll make sure you do, even if I have to carry you myself."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Think you can live up to that promise, Archie?"

He gave her that warm, slightly bashful smile that he didn't show very often, but Emma loved so much. Archie shifted, planting his feet on the ground, looping his arms around her. Mere seconds later, the sheriff of Storybrooke let out an entirely dignified and justified squeal as Storybrooke's psycholoist and her boyfriend of the past few months quite literally swept her off of her feet.

Emma wrapped her arms around his neck, grinning. They shared a look and they both started laughing.

Archie carried her upstairs, to their bedroom, Pongo trailing behind them, ever the protective watchdog. They didn't need words any more. Emma laid her head onto his shoulder, sighing heavily. The cynical part of her brain was chastising her for feeling like a gooey schoolgirl, but her heart and the rest of her instincts were saying that this wasn't about her boyfriend sweeping her off of her feet, as if she was a princess.

He was a good person and the kindest, most gentle soul that Emma had met in her twenty-eight years. Archie meant what he said about standing by her and helping her, no matter what, and she would hold him to that.

Later, as they were wrapped in each other's embrace, underneath tangled blankets, Emma pressed a kiss to Archie's neck, fingers trailing loose circles over his chest. He shivered at the contact, though she heard a very contented sigh escape his lips, almost betraying what he was thinking.

"I love you, Archie," she whispered to him, knowing that he was listening.

His lips pressed against the side of her forehead for a moment. "I love you too, Emma."

And Emma knew that, no matter what happened, what came their way, she was going to make it through this hell because she had Archie at her side – and he wasn't going to leave her, not for anything in the world because she was his and he was hers. To Emma, that was all she needed to get through the rough patches.

_What do you think? Was it worth the wait? I'm hoping it was. Now, if you would be so kind as to leave me a review of what you thought of this, then I would be much obliged._

_I'll do my best to have another story up as soon as I possibly can._


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